NamibRe has donated books to the Otjikoto Senior Secondary School in Tsumeb. The donation aims to promote a culture of reading, improve literacy rates, learning and expanding pupil interest in different fields and disciplines in Grade 8 to 12.

The handover ceremony was held at the Otjikoto Secondary School in Tsumeb under the theme “NamibRe donates – Otjikoto receives”. The event, which took place on Friday, 9 April 2021, at the Iyaloo Fillemon School Hall in Tsumeb, witnessed NamibRe employees and former pupil of Otjikoto school Sesilia Nkoshi (Senior Underwriter at NamibRe) hand over 500 books to the school. 

Otjikoto Senior Secondary School has a mission to provide the best learning environment for Grade 8 to 12 students. They aim to build the next generation of entrepreneurs and experts across industries and sectors of the Namibian economy. 

In 2019, Nkoshi pitched the project as an idea to the Corporation to collect a book for each kilometer she planned to complete at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon. The company, in turn, was to match each book with a monetary contribution – and that is how Project 42 Reasons to Read, also known as #42Reasons2Read, was created. 

“I am happy to pay it forward to pupils who share a love for reading,” Nkoshi said. She further stated that everyone has the potential to become all that they have the possibility of becoming. Equipping the younger generation with the right tools such as books is a vital way of propelling their progression.  

NamibRe matched each book collected through a monetary contribution of N$10 000. 

The donation was presented to the principal of Otjikoto Secondary School, Hileni Shingo, who received it on behalf of the school. Shingo extended her appreciation to NamibRe and Nkoshi.  “Every donation makes a difference – no matter the amount,” she echoed.

 When a donor gives a contribution of money or goods to schools, they are investing into a brighter future for every child.